Saturday, December 07, 2013

THE ANTI-ABORTION MOVEMENT, KEEPING THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE AS USUAL

Oh, sure, says John-Henry Westen of LifeSiteNews, Nelson Mandela may have won full citizenship for South African blacks and presided over a peaceful transition to majority rule, but what about the babies?

The death of South African former President Nelson 'Madiba' Rolihlahla Mandela on Thursday has led to an outpouring of glowing praise for the man most known for ending apartheid -- a system of racial segregation. However, pro-life leaders have warned that praise from Christian leaders is inappropriate given Mandela's role in bringing abortion-on-demand and homosexual "marriage" to South Africa....

In the face of praise for Mandela coming even from Catholic leaders all over the world, Paul Tuns, the editor of the Canadian pro-life newspaper The Interim,wrote, "A little balance is necessary in our reaction to the man who fought one injustice, but helped institute another."

Similarly England's John Smeaton, President of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) commented on his blog saying, "It is absolutely vital that Catholic leaders do not allow themselves to become respecters of persons, swept away by personality cults. Catholic leaders have a duty to stand up to public figures with anti-life and anti-family records, however praiseworthy their record may be on other issues."

Smeaton's comments came in reaction to praise for Mandela from the Bishops conference of South Africa. However, since then, New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Pope Francis have also issued statements of praise for Mandela.

Yes, on the subject of Mandela, these people are literally declaring themselves more Catholic than the pope.

... While it may be difficult for Catholic officials to discern how to proceed with world leaders and politicians who are pro-abortion, in 2004, the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops adopted a policy on the matter. "The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions," it said.